BlogRoll

November 17, 2008

Cool Winter and Warm Evolution... Another Smucci Fabric?

photos by Jamie Kahn

Painted in subtle shades of blue and grey, the scenery surrounding my lake has become quiet, reflective, and thoughtful. Punctuated with the barren beauty of so many trees, the stunning architecture of each limb reaches into the landscape which will soon be covered in layers of white. The warmth and brilliance of autumn has disappeared, fading to what comes next. Nature's color pallette becomes comfortably simplified, as black is layed upon endless shades of cool winter hues... softened further by countless months of fallen snow.

Cold days and incredibly long, dark nights are cooly received by most, and justifiably so. However, for me, this period of seasonal time is exciting as it's inherent beauty is based upon one thing... surrendering to it's simplicity. Just as nature offers few color choices during the winter season, cold months also limit our options. There are fewer daylight hours to accomplish our tasks. We must slown, close our schools and businesses, and proceed thoughtfully when our communities are beseiged with snow and ice. We pull our clothing more snuggly against our bodies, wear wonderfully furry boots, and narrow our focus to survival and warmth. We look inward, and in becoming more introspective, hopefully we emerge in the Spring as better human beings.

Winter's stark and harsh elements cause us to reach deep inside ourselves to find the warmth. The somewhat bleak winter landscape is precisely in opposition to the growth within our "inner landscape." In looking outward at the cool monotones and minimalism of Winter, I simultaneously feel the vivid and diverse color within. I guess this is another example of juxtaposing forces, a recurrent theme in my personal life, which describes the exaggerated chemistry of opposition.

This is an incredibly special time. I can't wait to feel it, and arrive in Spring to see how each of us has evolved. Hhhmmm, I am feeling something else, perhaps the evolution of another custom fabric... perhaps Smucci Winter.